Strike Witches - A Short Anthology
by atikabubu
Summary: A collection of random shorts about various Witches, both known and new. NOT RELATED TO THE CHOSEN ONE SERIES. Uploading once every blue moon.
1. The Eighth Child

**Disclaimer**

**I do not hold the intellectual property rights to the Strike Witches franchise, or any other book, comic, song, movie or other work of art I reference. Original Content created by me is copyrighted by me alone. All brand names are property of the respective parties owning rights to them. This disclaimer is valid hereinafter and won't be repeated in the following chapters.**

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**Hi there!**

**This is another one of my projects, a compilation of shorts NOT related to The Chosen One series. So yes, you can freely read all of this without even bothering with my original series (why would you do that? ;_;)**

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**Strike Witches**

**The Eighth Child**

**If your life is ending, what will you think about?**

* * *

The feeling of air smacking my cheeks – it hurts. But it's nothing compared to my overall situation right now.

Right now, I'm falling from over five thousand meters, somewhere over Britannia. Actually, I think I see the white cliffs of Dover.

How did it come to this?

My name is Georgette, and I'm a Gallian witch. I was slightly over ten years old, living in a village North of Lyon as the eighth daughter of a family of farmers. Eight daughters – not a single son. My parents tried hard to have a son, but _Dieu_ had another plan it seemed.

My childhood was rough. At any given time, there were more than five sisters to feed, at least until they slowly started leaving house and wandering off into the world. I went to a school at a nearby monastery. The nuns were very strict, and for each and every error our bums were flaming red from their _Discipline_, as they called the plank they used to punish us.

However, one day, it all changed. A few days after my tenth birthday, I met a fox. The fox was weird, because it disappeared into thin air once I touched it. The same day at supper, my eldest (at the time) sister, Jeanne, threw a rock at me. She didn't like me because she blamed me – because I was born, the food portions were thinned out even more than before. The rock flew toward me, but instead of hitting me it stopped midair after hitting a transparent, blue… _something_. Jeanne immediately ran to our parents and dragged them out of our small house. They asked me to tell them what happened, so I told them. They fell to their knees and started praising God. At the time I didn't know what that meant, but I later figured it out.

The next day, Papa prepared the wagon, and we rode to Lyon. He led me to a building with a propaganda poster on the door. We met with a nice lady, and poof, I was enlisted into the Army**–**as the first and only of my family. My _Papa_ was proud, but I saw something else in his eyes – greed. Then I understood. He wanted me to send my pay to them, so my family could prosper. I was **(**of course**)** to be fed, clothed, and housed in the army, so why would I need money?

The lady from the recruitment office told me that I would be going to Britannia for training ASAP, since I'm a natural _talent_. I asked her why am I supposedly talented, and she replied that "manifesting magic at this age is a talent of its own". I found myself in a big transport plane, almost entirely by myself, if not for the two men in the… cockpit I believe… I always found that word somewhat indecent…

The plane was flying over the Britannian Channel – I think – when suddenly the whole front of the plane exploded in a sea of redness. The back tilted over, and I fell out. I saw a black-red shape briefly.

Now I'm falling down, and the only thing I see is blue. The water is coming to me… Or am I coming towards the water? But I know what this will mean anyway. I learned enough in my short life to know the consequences.

I wonder if my eldest sister is already married. She's almost eighteen now. I think she can do it. She was always the brightest.

My parents are probably dancing around, knowing that I'll be supporting the family for the next… few years. Well, I'm sorry. I feel my tears streaming across my cheeks. I'm sorry, Mama… Papa_._ I heard that the families of deceased witches get a compen… something. It's money from what I know. At least I'll be useful. They'll live another month, maybe more thanks to my death. Maybe they'll finally have a son.

I already smell the saltiness of the water... I can hear the waves crashing. It's coming. The cold depths. I turn around towards the blue, cloudless sky and reach my hand up toward it.

God, will I become an angel?

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**How are you holding up, dear Reader? I got the idea for this ficlet when I was watching Drop Zone in TV, and I wrote it in like twenty minutes.**

**And Doran Maya had to read through this first huehuehue :3**


	2. (Re)Birth by Sleep

**Strike Witches**

**(Re)Birth by Sleep**

**Trapped in the prison of your own body, you can only hope for the better**

* * *

Everything's burning. The whole town is burning. The streets. The rooftops. Everything.

The monsters have attacked this town, where my family and I took refuge. Of course, like monsters, they attacked during the night, but now it looks like day from all the fire lighting up the town.

I was separated from Mom and Dad a moment ago. The wall of an old building fell right between us, as I stumbled and fell. It was a narrow street with no other way to them. I was cut off from them. Running across town scared, I'm looking for familiar faces. I can see the monsters in the air above town, shooting those deadly red beams everywhere. After each shot, I can hear an explosion somewhere. Somebody is killed, or loses their home… What did we do to them, that the monsters hate us so badly?

Suddenly, one of the monsters explodes. It's a pretty explosion, like a snowstorm. Witches! Yes! I see them! Witches have come! Yay!

"Heeeeey! Heeeeey!" I shout at the top of my lungs.

But there's no reaction. Nobody can hear me through the battle that is ensuing… I want to cry. I feel the tears stinging in my eyes. I just let go in the middle of the street. But after a few seconds, through my tears, I see a familiar face in the sky. It's my…

All of a sudden, the world fills with red. As if an enormous boot kicked me in the back, I fly forward and darkness falls upon me.

* * *

It's dark. So dark. I can feel something soft under me. Am I lying in a bed? I feel my body, but… I can't open my eyes. I can only breathe. I can't move any of my fingers, not even my tongue!

"What a poor girl… She's been in a coma for a week already…" an unfamiliar voice sighed.

"Yes, what a shame. And her sister can't stay beside her, she has to fight the Neuroi," another voice joined in.

I'm in coma? What did that word mean…? Ah! Mama told me that it's like Snow White's sleep. So my body is asleep now? That's why I can't move? But I'm alive. Good, dank Gott. Sis and my parents would be heartbroken if I died. But what can I do now? I can't even say anything. Maybe I should just wait, like a good girl? Yes, I will wait. I'll try to sleep, just like my whole body is doing right now. Papa always told me that sleep is the best medicine, so I'll probably need a lot of it… My body is so heavy…

* * *

I _woke up_ a few times. At one time, I think I managed to move a finger in my right hand. Melissa, one of the nurses I think, must have been in the room, since she started praising the Lord and ran out. After a minute maybe a male voice, doctor Barfield I believe, shouted, "This is good, very good! Please, miss, try again!"

I tried with all my willpower, and I think I moved another finger. The doctor was ecstatic. I was happy too, on the inside of course, heehee… Day after day, I performed these feats of willpower, and started moving fingers first at my right, and then my left. Then came my toes. After a few weeks, I could grab a glass that a nurse would slide into my hand, but I still couldn't _wake up_ fully.

Sis must have been told of my progress, because she visited me. She told me about her new unit. She is so childish sometimes, really… I think she has that sisterly crush on me… This gave me new power. After Sis left, I even more time trying to _wake up_.

One day, when a nurse was doing physio… something on me, so my legs and arms wouldn't go bad I felt like I could do it. Slowly, I opened my eyes. I looked at the nurse bending my left leg. My view was hazy, but I noticed she was very young, and had nice, curly brown hair. She looked at me and gasped with her eyes and mouth wide open. She let go of my leg and ran off.

She returned with a stout man, with hair that was graying on his temples.

"Good morning, miss," he said warmly.

Yes, this was doctor Barfield.

"How are you, miss?" he asked.

I tried to open my mouth, but not even a peep would come out. I wanted to cry, and almost immediately, the doctor gave me his pen and a note block.

"Do not worry, you can try to write, miss. Post-comatose patients recover gradually, so it may take some time for you to speak.

I managed to nod, and I started writing. At first, I had to think hard what the letters looked like, but I managed to write "GOOD" with all capitals.

"Ah, splendid! This is marvelous! I have to notify your sister post haste!"

I shook my head.

"Oh? No?"

I took the pen again, and the next message took considerably longer to write, but I managed.

"So you do not want to let your sister to see you before you can talk with her? How considerate of you, miss. I shall notify the speech therapist, and you'll begin work immediately."

I managed to smile and nod.

* * *

Days passed on, and I started making progress. Monosyllables, short words, longer words, basic sentences – it all started coming back to me. One day, I told the doctor that it's okay.

The next day, I was waiting impatiently, and sometime in the morning, I heard her, coming like a storm. She appeared in the doorway. Twin pigtails, brown hair, Feldgrau or what was it called again uniform, sturdy boots.

I had to decide how to behave. I knew that she would cry, so I decided I'll smile. I cried enough in my life, now is the time to smile.

"Chris…"

"Hi, Trudy," I said

A blonde girl popped up behind Trudy. I knew her too.

"Oh, it's Frau!" I cheered.

"Hiya, squirt!"

This was the first day of a new life. I have been given another chance, and I won't squander it. This is my own miracle – a rebirth by sleep.

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**So, when did you know it's about Chris? The idea popped up randomly when i was searching for inspiration for writing something else, although I can't trace the thought process that led to it. Just like that. And yeah, the title is a reference to Kingdom Hearts.**


	3. Per Aspera Ad Astra

**Strike Witches**

**Per Aspera Ad Astra**

**The sky is not the limit.**

* * *

Ten…

Nine…

Eight…

I hear a countdown in my earpiece. The hemispherical glass visor of my helmet is distorting my vision slightly, but I can see everything. There's a small HUD display, on which I see many parameters, and the countdown is going down on it too.

Seven…

I can see the scientists only a few meters from me.

Six…

Normally, they would be in a bunker a kilometer away from here, but not now. My arms are in a rigid frame, but only for now. My hands envelop two manipulators, chock full of switches. My whole body, except for a small part of my thighs is covered in a pressurized suit.

Five…

It's hot in here. Why didn't they plan this for the winter?

Four…

They had to do it in mid-June of all times!

Three…

But that's not relevant. What relevant is that I'm right here, right now, at Cape Canaveral.

Two…

My legs are in a pocket dimension connected to the _Borealis_, a two meter high special Striker Unit, equipped with a special ion engine. My destination…

One…

Space!

Zero…

* * *

It all began in my childhood. I was always a tomboy. Barbie dolls? Meh. I preferred Action Man and GI Joe. Playing house? Dream on, I wanted hide and seek! Imaginary tea parties? Pfff, I could make real tea. My mom always lamented, "Oh my poor Vanessa, what will you become…?". I didn't know back then, but one day, Father took me out of town during the night.

He just pulled out a blanket, and called me to his side. I sat beside him, and he pointed out the stars. It was a perfect night. The sky was clear, without a trace of clouds. I could see the hundreds of thousands of stars above my head. I almost got dizzy trying to count all of them. Then father started showing me constellations. He told me the legend behind the Summer Triangle. This inspired me, but not in a way Pa thought it would inspire me. Oh no, I didn't want to research those stars, I wanted to grasp them firmly in my hands.

I blazed through grade school and middle school. I went to military high school. Thanks to the long standing peace, there's not conscription into the army right now, so only volunteers enlist, and they're paid rather handsomely. Also, the North Liberion Space Association listed a thousand hour minimum for jet plane flight for _normal_ people, and half of that for witches in jet Strikers, so I had to start early. I acquired an engineering degree in West Point. When my hours were done, I sent an application to the NLSA. I had to return to the daily grind, but after a few weeks, it came! My commander signed the transfer papers with a smile on her face.

Once there, I had to undergo astronaut training, but it was a piece of cake to be honest, at least looking at it now. It seems I have been evaluated highly, and my inherent magic, Full Body Shield, must have helped, because it led to my current situation. I was to be the first witch to fly into space only equipped with a suit and Striker Unit.

* * *

The whiz of the ion engines drills itself through my skull and I'm remotely launched. These aren't the usual ion engines, found in the newest Striker models. From what I have heard, these are top notch space tech engines. Well, nothing less from the NLSA. I see the tachometer on my HUD changing digits like mad. I reached ten thousand kilometers per second in a matter of seconds. My target is 40,320 km/h, the escape velocity from Earth. They told me that I have to activate my shield when I'm at twenty thousand, so I do it. My visor gets coated in a thick layer of blue magic, but it's perfectly see-through. Unlike other witches, I can cloak my whole body with my shield, not just project one in a plane.

I push on hard. The acceleration is slowing down bit by bit, but it's still, heh, astronomical. I'm already in the thirty thousand range. I don't hear anything from _Houston_. They're probably breathless now. But I'm starting to get tired, slowly but surely. However, the time has come. I flick a switch, and my magic starts getting drained faster and faster. But then, it's like somebody kicked me in the ass, because my acceleration is almost instantaneous. I can see the things above me getting progressively darker, and then, my speed, which was red until now, lit green.

I'm now going Mach 33, in just a space suit and Striker! Nobody ever has done this! I flip the same switch again and disable the booster, and crank down the overall acceleration. Wheeew… Oh my… I'm a bit tired but… There's still a bit to go. I only crossed the Kármán Line… Wait… Holy… I crossed the Kármán Line! I almost missed it!

"I'M IN SPACE! SPAAAAAAACE! WOOOOHOOO!"

"Good job, Vanessa! Good job! Now, as agreed, you have to go just a little bit further. Remember, when you feel that you're too tired, come back."

"Yes, understood."

I fly up, and up, and up… But at about 200 kilometers, I feel almost flat out of magic.

"I'm going back, I hope that's enough?"

"You did splendid, Vanessa. Your safety is our primary concern."

A re-entry trajectory is displayed on my HUD. I bank slightly and follow the line, looking around the dark void, in which starts are scattered freely. Then I finally see it. Mother Earth. The big blue planet, which has been home to humankind for all these millions of years.

_You're still humongous, even from this distance, you big rock…_

But now, is the scariest part. At re-entry, I'll have to experience enormous aerodynamic drag. Felix Baumgartner had it easy, he was in the damn atmosphere already. That's probably why I need my shield too, to disperse the heat and shield me and my equipment. However, I'm also equipped with a liquid nitrogen cooling array. Two enormous tanks of liquid nitrogen on the sides of the big oxygen tank, thanks to which I'm breathing. The temperature is slowly rising, so I flick a switch and I hear the hiss of the liquid nitrogen filling my suit. I'm getting cold immediately, but the speed of my descent heats up my entirety quickly, and I'm hot again. But the bells and whistles don't go off, everything is in the yellow zone at most. The temperature starts falling again, so the next switch is flicked, and I hear the tanks being ejected with part of the frame. Immediately, I feel lighter. Now I have to slowly start reversing the thrust of the engines, or I'll end as a splatter on the ground. And if I do it too fast, I'll go out of control.

My whole body is shaking, and not from fear. I use the amplitude of the vibrations to gauge the speed of deceleration. The descent route on my HUD is slowly curving down towards the landing strip. Either I make the landing, or I use the parachute. Oh no, I won't do that.

Slowly, ever so slowly I decelerate. I'm now at a fairly normal attitude, at a rather fast velocity. Now I have full control, but I won't jeopardize my life just to make barrel rolls. I have to keep my emotions on a leash.

The landing strip is coming closer. I see the fire trucks and ambulances coming my way. Slowly, slowly… I touch down on the ground. I can hear command cheering like lunatics through my comms.

That's not important right now. What's important is that I did it. A lifelong dream has come true.

Through hardships, I have reached the stars.

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**Not much to write here honestly... The idea came to me while I was writing a next chapter of my unreleased story, so further explaining might be a bit spoilerish.**


	4. Aluminum Blues

**Strike Witches**

**Aluminum Blues  
**

**Sent here to die.  
**

* * *

The guard at the gate of the Ontario Army Air Field in California hooked off the phone receiver, through which he was communicating with his higher ups just a second ago. He turned around, and walked out of his small red-white striped booth, and looked at the two girls that visited him.

"Well then, ladies, it seems the Army still loves you after all." He said with a smile. "You can go in, but I've been told that a film crew will be coming shortly, so besides not bothering the workers, be nice to those guys, understood?"

"Yup!" The two cheered and ran through the gate.

"It seems they have already adapted to normal life…" He sighed and returned to his booth, sheltering himself from the sun.

* * *

The two visitors, clad only in swimsuits and white hats, strolled down a lane of engine housings from B-17 bombers, complete with propellers attached to them. It led them to an alley made out of B-24's, cut just behind the cabin, and propped up under a forty-degree angle. The older one of the girls looked at all of this with awe, while the smaller one silently followed her. After moving further, past more bombers in various stage of deconstruction, they witnessed a striking showcase.

* * *

A runway that spanned across the whole base was filled with various types of heavy and medium aircraft, positioned in neat rows, amassing to big cluster, visible from afar. But one of the clusters, near a hangar, piqued their interest at most. They ran up to it, and saw that the mass of metal were Striker Unit fuselages. The older girl ran up to the one of them, a P-51 Mustang, eviscerated from it's innards, only an empty shell left.

"You poor thing…" She said quietly while stroking the metal hot from the sun. "You're not needed anymore, and they simply dumped you here…"

"Brings back memories, huh?" The other one asked cheerfully.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Flying faster than anybody before, fighting the Neuroi…" She looked at her comrade. "…and most importantly, having fun with my friends."

"Daaaaaaaw…" The little girl hugged her. "Who do you think we should visit first?"

"After we've cleared our tour of Liberion, we should go back to the Old Continent and visit our friends there."

"Oh, but isn't Fuso closer to California?"

"Fuso…" The older one pondered. "Well… You're right! I still forget that now you can just fly wherever you want with a plane!"

"And what in tarnations are you two birds all chirping about!" A male voice suddenly shouted.

The two almost jumped up in place, with the smaller one jumping on the back of the bigger girl, and turned around quickly, seeing a mechanic in grease stained overalls.

"W-W-We're visitors!" Both shouted in unison.

"That I can tell!" He laughed. "Nobody else could come to a military facility in such skimpy outfits! So, what can I do you for?"

"We're just sightseeing, so to speak." The older one said. "I heard about this place, but dear God, this is depressing…"

"This whole joint? Yeah, it's sad that such fine machines are getting cut up like that…" The mechanic sighed. "You two were Witches?"

"We still are, technically. I'm only eighteen, and the squirt on my back is still fourteen."

"Flying a Mustang, were you? I saw how you were stroking that fuselage." He smirked.

"Yup!" She cheered. "I even tuned one of them sumbitches!"

"Hah, an enthusiast then! Come on, ladies, have some cold Coke before you go back to your tour."

"Oh, but we were just about to go home…"

"I can't let you two away without a cold drink and some shade." He said adamantly.

* * *

The two complacently followed the man into the hangar, where a whole crew was dismantling a B-29 Superfortress. They could feel the gazes of the men on them, but their _host_ shouted, "Eyes on the prize, you hound dogs!"

"Hey, boss, where'd ya find Glamorous Shirley?" One of them asked.

"Who now?"

"The girl from the calendar over yonder!"

"Oh yeah…" He pondered, and looked at the older girl carefully. "I knew you were familiar!"

"Heheheh…" She laughed dryly. "I guess my fame precedes me."

"Shirley, when did you appear on a calendar?" The small girl asked.

"Oh, I let the army use my physique to put me as a pin-up girl on a calendar." Shirley shrugged. "War bonds and such. Wouldn't you do the same, Lucchini?"

"My boobs are still too small…" Francesca sulked.

"Miss, could'ya sign that calendar for us?" The one from before asked.

"If I had a pen…"

The boss of the crew returned to them with two icy cold Coke bottles, and a simple pen.

"Guess you owe us for the Coke." He snickered.

"Ha!" Shirley laughed and looked around. "Ah, there it is."

She ran up to the calendar hanging above a tool cabinet, and smeared a flamboyant John Hancock all near her left leg.

"There you go!" She shouted.

"Thank you!" The whole crew shouted.

She returned for Francesca and the boss, and took her Coke.

"So, tell me one thing." He asked. "How was it?"

"The war?" Shirley asked.

"Yeah."

"All in all, despite all bad thing that happened, those were the best days of our lives. Right, Lucchini?"

"_Si!_" Francesca cheered and started drinking.

* * *

After finishing their Coke, and greeting off the workers, the two slowly strolled back to the main gate.

"Ugh, Lucchini…" She sighed. "Remind me to never go to vehicle graveyards…"

"Kay!" She smiled vividly. "Oh, look, what a convoy!" She pointed at a few vehicles driving towards them.

"I think that's the film crew." Shirley said. "Come on; let's just pass them by quietly."

* * *

As they were strolling past the guard booth, the guard asked, "Had a nice stay?"

"Yup, but it was a bit depressing for me." Shirley smiled slightly. "But the guys at the hangar welcomed us nicely."

"They did? That's nice. Did you see the film crew?"

"Only the vehicles."

"Samuel Goldwyn Productions. They need to shoot a scene here."

"Well, they didn't come here to play cards, did they?" Shirley asked slyly.

"For all I care, I'm just the guard." He shrugged. "Thank you for your war effort, ma'am."

"I did what I could." Shirley smiled and grabbed Lucchini's hand. "Let's go fetch some ice!"

"Yay, ice cream! I want pistachio!"

"Whatever goes!"

* * *

**Well hello there! To keep this one short: yes, it's a what-if, taking place in 1946, after the Neuroi scourge had been vanquished. The fic is grossly inspired by the movie _The Best Years of Our Lives_, particularly one scene that takes place at... the same spot. ;)**


	5. Das Stahlerne Grab

**Strike Witches**

**Das Stahlerne Grab  
**

**To die for Karlsland is our highest honor.  
**

* * *

They say that when you're on the brink of death, you see your whole life passing by before your eyes in a flash. As I stare in the face of the Grim Reaper, my life is truly fluttering across my sight, but slowly, very slowly…

* * *

I was born in Aachen in Karlsland in 1928. My mother gave me the name Griselda, and combined with the family name of she got from my father after their marriage, my full name was Griselda Siegestrau. My family was and still is wealthy, but not the _nuveau riche _kind, no. They built up their fortune for generations, starting in the XVI century, and continuing up to this day.

One could say I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and that is true. Money was never a concern of mine, but my parents brought me up so I would know its value, and wouldn't discriminate people solely on the ground of their financial status. And I definitely inherited the good looks from my mother's side of the family tree. Each and every woman in the Siegestrau family was a grade A beauty, all with hair darker than ebony, and faces that would lead to temptation.

School wasn't difficult for me. My intellectual development was monitored since my infancy, and I was truly a prodigy in whatever I touched. However, there was one bully that just couldn't help but to bother the kids at school. He was a boy that was withheld for two grades consequently, so he was as big as a tree, compared to the rest of us. His biggest mistake was picking on me, because after the second time he did it, I took up classic sword fighting, and with nothing less expected, I was making amazing progress. The next time I saw the bully approaching me, I grabbed a tree branch, specifically a young branch I broke off a hazel tree. He laughed me off, but that was another one of his mistakes, as I swatted him relentlessly for five minutes, until an adult finally intervened.

I wasn't thrown out of school, courtesy of my family name and reputation, but this was the first time that my father hit me as punishment. But he didn't have to say a word to accompany it, I already knew what I did wrong. The next day there was a change in the _air_ around me. The kids looked at me with a mixture of awe and respect. Two days later the bully finally returned, and as expected, he even feared to be in a ten-meter radius of me.

Thankfully, my further education wasn't as perilous. Well, right until the Neuroi came, dead on my 11th birthday, and purely coincidental was the fact that my magic finally awakened. It wasn't anything special, _just_ Super Strength Type A, however I'm grateful to whatever higher forces there are that it didn't activate itself when I was lashing out on that boy.

My family always had a principle – defend your homeland, and support the current ruler. It partially led to our wealth, because every ruler looked at us leniently, thanks to the support of my ancestors. Thus, on the second day of September, I was already standing in a recruitment station. Since I was an absolute greenhorn, they sent me to Libau for training. There was an erratic Fusojin making her name at the time, but our paths didn't cross for the most of time. Thanks to my magic, I was made a heavy weapons witch, and they gave me a 37 mm cannon at first.

Fate has a grim sense of humor, because when I first took off in a Striker Unit, I was paralyzed from fear and almost crashed into the ground. My CO gave me another chance, and poof, same result. The doctor in the base diagnosed me with acute acrophobia. The weirdest thing about it is that I was fine up until now. I could climb a tree, I could easily watch the scenery from the top of our mansion, but when I went higher than a hundred meters, bam, I'm dead paralyzed.

The army however didn't give up on me, and soon I was thundering across the battlefield in a different type of Striker. I was issued a prototype Panzerkampfbein III Ausf. D Land Striker, with a modified 37 mm cannon from before. And that is where I found my calling. After basic training, I was thrown amidst the blazing battlefields of Eastern Karlsland. Thanks to the enhanced shield capabilities, the Striker saved my behind quite a few times, and I wasn't exactly pulling my punches against the enemy, scoring a hundred kills just before the defense of my _Vaterland_ collapsed completely, and I was relocated to Gallia.

From there on, I was busy as hell, since the Neuroi were abundant in the country. I was receiving numerous upgrades to my gear, so I could fight more and more effectively. Up until the liberation in 1944, I successfully destroyed 250 enemies, earning a Knights Cross. After some _cleaning up_, I was relocated to Cyrenaica. Nobody will know how hot it can be in a Land Striker, especially in the Panzerkampfbein Tiger Ausf. E I was given. The heat radiating from the metal surrounding me, despite it all being an open construction is debilitating. Thankfully, the girls around were veterans of the deserts, and they gave me vital pointers on how to survive.

This wasn't a peaceful environment either, as the Neuroi were bountiful, but thanks to my abilities and my Striker, I could plow through the enemy ranks with ease, especially thanks to the new upgrade I received in the beginning of 1945, the Panzerkampfbein Tiger VI Ausf. B. A true monster with sloped armor and a long cannon capable of destroying the small land enemies with one shot from over a kilometer easily. But it was also the reason why I was almost killed for the first time.

I was in track mode, slowly but surely traversing a sand dune, when suddenly the track broke, sending me off balance just as I was evading Neuroi fire. The beam it slung at me missed me by a centimeter at most, but I could feel it's heat. _Dank Gott_ that the 31st JFS was helping us back then, because if not for Hanna Marseille, and that little witch with the big guns, I would be a goner. I thanked her personally after the battle, and surprisingly, she gave me an autograph. Not that I'm a fan, but that little witch told me it's something rare.

Time passed, and as I killed more Neuroi, I became the most renowned Witch _Panzer As_ in the world, earning a visit at the Kaiser himself. I was also given a tour around the main research facility, and I saw something that I would quickly use myself, because soon after, the battle of battles began.

Named _Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein_, the final counteroffensive against the Neuroi infesting Karlsland was aimed to stop at Berlin. I was given a supportive role, and a brand new Land Striker – the _Neuroijäger_ Tiger Ausf. B. The monstrous Striker was equipped with a fitting 128mm cannon capable of firing at targets well over the distance of ten kilometers. I only had a quick run in it before battle, but I already knew its weaknesses and strengths.

On the day of battle, my column was moving behind on the flanks of a whole column of Land Strikers, driven by witches of all nationalities. In the air, the mighty flying witches from the famous Joint Fighter Wings battled the airborne enemies. As we traversed a forest and came out to a plain, everything went wrong. A Turtle of yet unseen size cracked open the earth and came out in a cloud of dust. Immediately we began firing all our guns at once. The thunderous booms were making our ears ring, but there's no smoke without fire. The girls around me cheered, but that little outburst of joy soon turned into pure terror, as the unscathed Turtle turned its titanic cannon at the main column, and fired a beam. The ground trembled as the monumental stream of energy hit the center of the formation.

I felt actual terror watching as the smoke and dust cleared, and an enormous crater, littered with dismembered bodies and flaming wrecks of Strikers was revealed. But I quickly snapped out of it, and started calling for reinforcements.

"This is _Oberstleuntnant _Griselda Siegestreu from the 52nd _Hexen Panzerabteilung_! The whole main column has been destroyed by a single, unknown Turtle type! Requesting backup immediately!"

It took ten full seconds for somebody to respond.

"That's a negative! The sky is white hot right now! You have to wait until the heat lessens!"

I instinctively looked up to the sky, and saw a battle of ages going on. If what happened down on the ground was the _Ragnarök_, up there was the battle of Tel Megiddo, the true apocalypse. Hundreds of witches were fighting thousands of Neuroi. The cannonade of medium to high caliber weaponry made individual shots indistinguishable and spent casings were flying down to earth like brass snow.

As I look back at the Turtle, it started moving towards my unit. I glanced upon my witches, and see they're all trembling in fear. I acted as I thought was natural.

"Ladies! Keep calm! We are the best of the best, selected from all the best units from the whole world! We all saw war, and yet, you shake like trees during a storm! We only have one enemy to face! Let's show him hell!"

I raised my fist in the air, and then, the world before me goes red all of a sudden. A split second later, half of my squad gets razed to the ground by a beam. The lives of the friends I made during the last day of preparations suddenly got extinguished like a dimly burning wick. This changed everything. I decided upon my fate in one second as I rushed towards the enemy. The open plain was ideal for circling it, but it exposed me just as it was exposed to me. I fired a shot at the enemy, and it hit it dead in the cannon. The enemy followed my every move, slowly circling around its own axis.

The _wound_ I inflicted almost _healed_ itself completely in about five seconds, faster than my cannon be reloaded using the autoloader, so I played itself and fired another round. I decided to take another opportunity at calling backup.

"This is Oberstleutnant Siegestreu again! Half of my own unit has been wiped out, and now I'm circling the enemy solo to lure it off my comrades! I insist that somebody helps me immediately!"

This time I waited only three seconds, just after firing another round.

"Siegestreu! It's Marseille! I'm rushing in to help you once I find an opening! Hold on!"

"Thank you!"

New hope filled me immediately. This battle could be winnable! I fired another shot at the enemy cannon, and yet another hit! I repeated the same process a few times, and then I saw her. She dove elegantly yet fiercely like an eagle, firing at the tip of the _head_ of the enemy. The concentrated fire ripped open a small hole, and then I saw it. The red glow of the core was a sight that I saw numerous times in my career as a witch. I raise scope of my cannon up to my eye, and pulled the trigger.

My heart almost stopped when I didn't feel the kick of the cannon, hear the thunderous boom, see the blaze out of the muzzle brake, or the enemy exploding into a storm of white flakes. I looked at the ammo feed as if time was diluted. The autoloader feed mechanism-stopped half-way, jittering like a mouse in seizure. I quickly punched it and the feeder moved. I returned to aiming, and then, time almost stopped for me.

* * *

The world is almost devoid of color now, except for the red ball of energy the Neuroi is gathering at the tip of the cannon just before firing. I can feel that the cartridge has been rammed into the breach. My life just passed before my eyes, just up to this moment. The gash in the Neuroi is still open, and I see the core shimmering slightly. I pull the trigger as if it was made from rubber, and at the same time, the Neuroi fires. The cannon kicks back, and muzzle flash slowly starts coming out of the end of the barrel. The blast from the enemy is coming closer and closer. I see the projectile leaving the barrel of my cannon. It's a subcaliber round, the last one from the ammo rack.

The last bullet I will fire in my life. I see it flying towards the core, but at the same time, the beam is close. I feel it's immense heat. I think my hair starts to sizzle. The world is getting red.

Oberstleutnant Gisele Siegestreu, recipient of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oaks and Diamonds, with a confirmed kill count of 351.

That was me, fighting for her _Vaterland_, left by the fickle Lady Luck in the worst possible time.

And this Striker will be my steel grave...

* * *

_I can feel my body._

_I can feel its weight and… ow… it hurts everywhere… especially my shoulders… owwwwww…_

I open my eyes very slowly, as if my eyelids were made out of lead. My vision is hazy, but I slowly start seeing a uniformly white ceiling. A hospital? I feel the faint smell of disinfectants…

I move head and see somebody sitting on a chair beside me.

It's her, there's no mistake. I try to call her name, but only a dry screech gets out of my throat, causing me to cough spasmodically.

That was enough to wake her up.

"Oh! You're awake! Here!" she quickly gave me a full glass of water, which I, don't know why, drank whole. "Better?"

"Better… What are you doing here, Hauptmann Marseille? And why… why am I even alive?"

Marseille smiled warmly and said, "Everything is connected, Oberstleautnant Siegestreu. Oh, or should I call you Griselda?"

"I don't know if I can…" I mumbled.

"After what I tell you, you will!" she laughed. "Okay then, so… I kind of saved your life."

"You saved my life? But… How is that possible? I was an inch away from death!"

"I took that inch and made it a mile," she replied with a stern voice. "I somehow knew that this could end badly, so I started flying towards you from the side as fast as I could. Just before that enormous beam hit you, I managed to ram in to you, ejecting you out of your Striker, and somehow also avoiding damage."

"Wooooow…" I gasped, and I felt something on my cheeks I haven't felt for a long time…

"Before you collapse completely now, heh, I have to tell you I'm here because of the aftermath. My little stunt broke your right arm and shoulder girdle, and the impact upon you landed broke both on your left side… You may know me as a cold person out of the papers and such but…"

"Did the war end?" I asked while I still could limit the flow of my tears.

"Yes. The war ended. The 501st struck the deciding blow and… Oh crap…" She looked puzzled at me as my eyes filled with an uncontrolled stream of tears.

Marseille started patting me on the head and asked, "So, how about calling me Hanna?"

"O-Okay…" I managed to squeeze out.

* * *

Later I learned I woke up after a day. A week later, a grand ceremony took place in the ruins of Berlin. The Kaiser himself personally promoted and distinguished all the people that survived _Die Wacht am Rhein_. I could see the 501st, the 31st, but literally nobody of my units, or their sister units. I was the only _Panzerfraulein_ that survived. It was visible to everyone how dramatic my survival was, because I was there on the tribune despite my enormous half-body cast. I stood just beside Hanna as she was promoted to Major and given a Grand Cross of the Iron Cross. Then, it was my turn.

"Griselda Siegestreu, you are hereby promoted to the rank of Hauptmann…" The Kaiser said a bit baffled seeing my cast, but Hanna bailed him out.

"I'll take it, Herr Kaiser. I'm her best friend."

"So be it," he smiled and gave her my new shoulderboards. "Additionally, for your selfless sacrifice to your Vaterland, you are presented with the highest grade of the _Verwundetenabzeichen_."

He placed the small golden badge, legitimate proof of my wounds, on Hanna's hand.

"Finally, you are given the Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as the crowning of your whole spending military career."

The Kaiser placed the open box with the big iron cross on my friend's hand, and I said, "Lang leb der Kaiser," only because a shout would be too painful.

_I have escaped the steel grave to witness this._

_The Liberation of Karlsland._

_The end of the Second Neuroi War._

_A new peace coming to the world I love._

* * *

**This little fic is somewhat inspired by the Panzerlied. You can see it in the chapter quote, and at one point of Griselda's thoughts. The title of the fic translates to The Steel Grave. Originally, Griselda was to die, but some redheaded lunatic talked me out of it.**_  
_


	6. Yokosuka Madness

**Strike Witches**

**Yokosuka Madness**

**A brief moment of fun in the war torn world.  
**

* * *

**Public service announcement - This short is actually not a short, but I don't want to fragment my stories too much, so I decided to put it here.**

* * *

The look outside the window of the classroom was inspiring. The leaves were falling at random from the trees in front of the Yokosuka 4th Girls-only Middle School. The janitor, however, was vigilant, and whenever a sizable amount covered the ground, he would attack his enemy with rake and a wheelbarrow.

A brown haired girl, seated in the last row by the windows, was watching as he was scraping up the leaves, and she giggled, thinking,_ "Poor guy has work cut for him till winter… Ehhh… I wonder how Lynne is doing…"_

"Miss Miyafuji," a gruff female voice suddenly pulled the girl out of her dreamlike state.

The girls snapped into attention and asked, "Yes ma'am?!"

Her classmates giggled seeing this, but they were already used to it.

"Miss Miyafuji, you were spacing out again. You know what's to be done," the teacher said.

"Yes, Sensei…" she mumbled with her head hung low, filled two buckets with water and exited out into the corridor.

"Poor Yoshika probably misses her friends from the military," one of the girls whispered.

"Or the life of a witch altogether," another one whispered back.

"Ladies, please no more disruptions," the teacher interrupted the gossip.

* * *

Yoshika stood with a fussy face in the corridor, holding the two full water buckets.

"Eh…" She sighed. "Sure reminds me of old times… But… A little cheating never hurt anybody," she snickered to herself and her animal ears popped up. "Hmmm… A bit better, but it's not Super Strength magic, just my wee little witch's boost…"

"Miyafuji!" a voice, as if made from steel, rang across the corridor.

Every muscle in Yoshika's body tensed up as she snapped into attention as she immediately recognized the person attached to the voice.

"M-Miss Sakamoto, please don't shout so loud!" Yoshika whispered dramatically. "There's still class going on!"

The black haired beauty with her trademark eyepatch covered her mouth and ran up to Yoshika, saying, "Miyafuji, no magic while being punished, understood?"

"I'm not in the military anymore," she puffed her cheeks.

"Yes you are, you're in the reserves," Mio rebuked quickly. "But putting that aside, what did you earn this with?"

"Spacing out…"

Mio smiled and said, "Well, let's say I have something to cheer you up. How many lessons do you have after the current one?"

"Uh, two. Why are you asking, Miss Sakamoto?"

"Tough call…" she muttered. "Ah, but whatever, we don't have much time. Wait for me, but don't put the buckets down yet."

Saying that, Mio entered the classroom as if nothing mattered.

_What the…? Miss Sakamoto making such a ruckus is something… unprecedented to say at least!_

Yoshika waited for a minute, and Mio walked out of the classroom with a triumphant smile plastered to her face, carrying Yoshika's school bag.

"Okay, Miyafuji! Drop those buckets wherever you like and let's go! Time's sparse!"

"Who, what, where?" Yoshika asked surprised. "And why so sudden?"

"You want to skip school or not?" Mio asked.

"Actually, I don't want to. I have to iron out my grades after my… trip to Britannia." Yoshika said with a straight face.

"Too bad, Miyafuji." Mio's left hand landed on Yoshika's right shoulder. "You're already exempted from class today. Let's go."

"Ehhh…" Yoshika sighed deeply. "My poor grades… I'll go from average-average to below-average in no time…"

"There's nothing a witch can't do!" Mio laughed in her usual manner. "Come on already, or you'll make a certain _party_ angry."

Yoshika shrugged and the two went on to the shoe lockers, where both changed their shoes, and they walked out. She immediately saw a Type 95 car with its cloth roof put up, and somebody familiar behind the wheel.

"Oh, Mister Hijikata is here too?"

"Somebody has to drive me, right?" Mio shrugged. "With rank come privileges!"

"What privileges do I have, Miss Sakamoto?" Yoshika asked curious.

"Two days of paid leave every year."

"Meeeeeeeeh…" Yoshika moaned.

"Don't like it? Get promoted!" Mio slammed her on the back cheerfully.

_Shame she can't though… Ugh, I have to tell poor Miyafuji that she's been sacked from the IFN…_

"But I don't want to be in the army to begin with…" Yoshika muttered.

"Like a kid…" Mio shook her head. "Well, you're only fifteen anyway. Take a seat."

The two approached the car, and Hijikata saluted.

"Welcome back, Major."

"At ease, Hijikata. Let's go back," Mio commanded.

"Yes ma'am," he said and jumped behind the wheel.

"Where do I sit?" Yoshika asked, looking at the car.

"Jump into the back, you're small enough to fit perfectly."

"Kay!" Yoshika cheered and crawled through the space between the front seats to the back seat. "Ready!"

"Then let's go!" Mio shouted and pointed out forward with her hand stretched out.

* * *

"Oooooh… That's a big flying boat!" Yoshika gasped in wonder, watching as an enormous airboat landed at the pier of the Yokosuka Naval base. "Never saw one like that though…"

"It's a Karlslander BV 222," Mio said with a sly smile.

"Karlslander?" A light bulb almost appeared over Yoshika's head. "We're receiving guests?"

"You can say so…" Mio mused. "Let's wait until we arrive at the base."

"Okay!"

* * *

"Hey, Hartmann, wake up." A witch with brown hair and two trademark pigtails started poking her blonde hair friend, who comfortably was using her right thigh as a pillow.

"Fifty more minutes…" the sleepy witch mumbled.

"Fifty minutes?! We've arrived already, you _volltrottel_"

"Then thirty…"

The brown haired witch's hand started shaking as it started curling up into a fist, but her comrade sitting on the left said, "Don't be rash, Trude. You know how Erica is."

"Every damn time…" Trude sighed. "We really can't do anything about this, Minna?"

"Accept it?" Minna giggled.

"Ehhh…" Trude sighed again, even deeper than before. "Hartmann, wake up or Sakamoto will punish you with KP duty."

"She's not my boss now…" Erica muttered half-asleep.

"I'll kill her…" Trude whined.

"You broke the stick on her, so let's try the carrot." Minna smiled. "Hey, Erica?"

"Yeah?"

"When we go into town, I'll buy you some sweets, okay?"

Erica opened her eyes immediately and stood up by the bench they were sitting on.

"Riiiiight…" Trude muttered. "You're too lenient, Minna."

"Someone has to be the counterbalance to you," she said and shrugged.

* * *

Hijikata drove by the pier itself, and said, "We've arrived, ma'am."

"Thank you, Hijikata," Mio said. "You can go now, you're free for the rest of the day."

"Oh, thank you!" He almost jumped up. "Um, I'm sorry, ma'am."

"Yes, yes," she waved her hand lazily. "Come on, Miyafuji."

Mio stepped out of the car and Yoshika crawled out after her. A cold salty breeze immediately struck her, causing her to shiver slightly.

"Baaah! I didn't think I'd have to go near the water today…" she sulked.

"Come on, Miyafuji! You're a witch! Head up, chin straight, chest forward!"

"Easy for you to say for the last part…" Yoshika muttered whilst ogling Mio's quite obvious breasts.

"Ugh, Miyafuji… It seems I have to train you a bit from time to time… You're starting to talk back." Mio smiled devilishly.

"Eh? Aren't we friends, Miss Sakamoto?" Yoshika asked with a cutesy smile.

"We're soldiers," the stern Fusojin replied. "Now, look. The door is opening."

* * *

Minna opened the door on the side of the plane herself. She took a deep breath and said, "We're definitely at sea. The air is magnificent."

"Ma'am, please wait for the gang plank!" a man from the personnel shouted as he carried a long and wide plank.

"Would be a waste…" Trude said with a smile.

"…if you got wet." Erica joined in, deciphering Trude immediately.

"It also would be a waste if you two got KP duty after we return," Minna replied with her usual smile.

"Busted…" the two sighed in union.

"Miss Minna! Miss Trude! Miss Hartmann!" a joyful voice resounded in their ears.

The three peeked over through the door and saw Yoshika running to them quickly.

"Hoho! Miyafuji!" Erica shouted and jumped to the pier, over the man with the gangplank.

The two fell into each other's tight embrace. Before Yoshika said anything, she saw Minna and Trude smiling towards her.

"You were the surprise?" Yoshika asked Erica.

"No, _you_ were the surprise," Erica replied. "We knew we'd end up in Yokosuka, but nobody guaranteed that we'd meet you."

"Well it is a big town…" Yoshika pondered. "And I do live on the outskirts…"

"Stop thinking so hard or you'll get a headache," Trude approached the two. "Hi, Miyafuji."

"Uh, welcome to Fuso, Miss Barkhorn, heheh…"

"Is there a welcome for me, too?" Minna asked as she went down the gangplank.

"Of course!" Yoshika cheered. "Welcome to my homeland, Miss Minna!"

"Well see here, you've been welcomed!" Mio laughed. "Nice to see you all."

"Indeed, Mio." Minna giggled. "So, is everything going as we agreed upon?"

"Miyafuji and I are here, so you can predict the rest."

"You knew!" Erica shouted. "You knew and you didn't tell us!"

"Everyone with half a brain would deduce it…" Trude sighed.

"I have…" Erica furled her eyebrows mid-sentence. "Meh, whatever. I want Fuso sweets!"

"Are you staying here for long?" Yoshika asked.

"If Mio underhandedly and covertly arranged everything as we both wanted, then we have time until tomorrow morning."

Yoshika looked at Mio with her big brown eyes, to which she replied, "Yes, yes, everything is A-Okay. And I do mean _everything_, hehe…"

"Mio efficient as ever," Minna smiled brightly. "Come on then girls, let's follow Miyafuji around town I guess."

"Me?!"

"You are indigenous, so to say, so you're the best guide around here. Mio has to do some paperwork right now," Minna explained and turned to said witch. "But you will join us at the _spot_, right?"

"Of course I will!" Mio huffed. "I promised, so it will happen."

"I'm confused," Erica, Trude, and Yoshika said in unison, laughing outright after taking notice of that fact.

"Let's go then!" Yoshika cheered. "Are we on a schedule?"

Minna pulled out a pocket watch out of her light coats pocket, and she said, "Three hours."

"Oh my, that's not much! Let's hurry!"

* * *

"Tired…" Yoshika moaned from Trude's back as they all entered the city itself.

"You're tragically out of shape, Miyafuji. Is that what a True Soldier of Fuso should represent?" Trude asked.

"Don't care, I'm in the reserves…"

"Reserves?" Erica wondered. "I thought…"

The blonde was quickly muffled by Minna, which Yoshika didn't notice. Minna gave Erica a shake with her head, and when Erica admitted with a nod that the understood, she said, "A reservist should be in shape too."

"But school…" Yoshika mumbled.

"Well, school is important too I guess," Trude said. "At least you can attend it…"

"How's Chris by the way?"

"Chris has already moved out of the hospital!" Trude said quickly. "And she's already with our parents and…"

"Trude, Trude…" Minna waved her hand. "Easy, Miyafuji won't understand half of what you're saying now."

"Okay…" Trude mumbled. "But later I won't skip the details!" she shouted fiercely.

"Heheh, Miss Barkhorn as energetic as usual when it comes to Chris… Oh, we're approaching a candy shop."

"Candy!" Erica shouted. "Miiiinnnnaaa! Buy me something!"

"I told you to save money…" Minna mused.

"But Miiiinnaaaaa!" Erica started tearing up quickly.

"Jesus! I'll buy you something, just stop!" Trude grunted. "You're making a scene."

"Thaaank you Truudy," Erica sang.

"You're a softie…" Yoshika whispered into Trude's left ear.

"You're delusional…" Trude muttered with red cheeks. "Anyway, get down, or we won't get through the door."

"Sure," Yoshika smiled and slowly crawled down on her two own knees. "Okay then, follow me, dear tourists!"

"Yes ma'am!" Erica cheered.

Yoshika opened the door and almost immediately, she heard "_Irasshaimase_!" from the storeowner.

"_Konnichiwa!_" Yoshika replied and almost immediately she saw a familiar face. "Michiko?"

"Oh, Yoshika! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you… be at school?"

"I could ask you the same, Michiko. Did your mom send you out for shopping?"

"Mhm," Michiko nodded. "She's feeling better, but I forced her to stay in bed, heehee…"

"And who might this pretty girl be?" Minna chimed in suddenly.

"O-Oh… I'm Michiko, Yoshika's cousin…" she replied quietly.

"Ah, so you're Yoshika's family!" Erica started shaking her hand. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Erica!"

"Watch out, she'll try to bum some sweets off you…" Trude whispered theatrically.

"Meanie…" Erica mumbled. "Anyway, Yoshika, tell me what to pick! Everything here looks so… different."

"Oh well, let's start with something simple…"

As Yoshika started talking to the storeowner, Minna took Michiko to the side and asked, "Will you have some free time about two and a half hours from now?"

"Well… It will be after dinner already, but it will be close do supper…"

Minna whispered something rather lengthy into Michiko's ear, to which the Fusojin replied, "I'll see if it's possible, ma'am."

"Good girl," Minna smiled. "Now, shoo, I believe you have a sick mother."

Michiko nodded and said, "Indeed. Yoshika, bye!"

"Oh, you're going already? What a shame…"

"Maybe we'll see each other later, okay?"

"Well, if you can, please visit me later! It's boring in school as it is even with you!"

"Haha! Okay, Yoshika!" Michiko laughed and ran out of the store.

"Trudy, Trudy!" Erica waved three skewers with tri-colored _hanami dango_.

"I said that I'll buy you _something_, and I implied ONE," Trude replied adamantly.

"Buuuut Truuuuudyyyy…" Erica bawled close to tears.

"I don't have enough money anyway…" she averted her gaze from Erica quickly after checking the prices.

"You go on a trip with barely enough money?" Minna asked. "Trude, that's unfit of a True Soldier of Karlsland, you know? What if you wanted to buy a nice souvenir for Chris with that paltry change you have?"

Trude's face burned up, as she couldn't even cough up one word.

"I know that you're sending money home, but you can't just live off army provisions all the time…" Minna said softly and patted Trude on the back. "Erica, I'm buying that and more for all of us."

"Woohoo!" Erica shouted. "Yoshika, pick something for us!"

"O-O-Okay!"

* * *

"You sure bought a _lot_ of sweets, Miss Minna," Yoshika said as they ventured down the streets laden with sweets. "Taking some to your home base?"

"Let's say so," she winked. "Say, why are the streets decorated like this?" she asked as she pointed out the decorations hanging around, most prominent on store fronts.

"Oh!" Yoshika gasped. "Today's the _Shichi-Go-San_ festival! There will be a big celebration for everyone this year, apart from the ceremony in the temple! I totally forgot!"

"Food?!" Erica almost spat out the _dango_ she had in her mouth.

"Stalls with food, games, souvenirs…"

"Souvenirs…" Trude muttered to herself.

"… and fireworks!" Yoshika cheered.

"What's the festival about?" Minna asked.

"It's a rite of passage for three- and seven-year-old girls and three- and five-year-old boys," Yoshika explained. "Back in the days there were more rituals then what there is now, but… Well, that's irrelevant right now, Miss Minna. Ah drat, I so want to go there…"

"There's really nothing holding us back from it," Minna said. "I guess we should go to your place and dump everything?"

"Oh, to the clinic? I think mom would agree…" Yoshika pondered. "But we still have to wait for Miss Sakamoto, definitely!"

"We will, don't worry," Minna smiled. "Onwards, to the Miyafuji household."

* * *

"Man, did we take a _scenic route_…" Trude sighed as they approached a small clinic building on the outskirts of Yokosuka.

"I wanted to show as much as possible," Yoshika said proudly. "How much time did we kill, Miss Minna?"

"Mio should be here in ten minutes, if she's not here already," the red headed Karlslander responded after checking her watch.

"Scenic route indeed…" Erica muttered." My feet hurt!"

"I think dinner should be ready by now…" Yoshika pondered. "Oh, but there's no way Mom knew about you coming… Awwww… I'll feel bad stuffing my belly…"

"You never know," Minna shrugged.

"Well, if it comes down to it, I'll do a quick improv!" Yoshika cheered and opened the door. "_Tadaima_!"

"_Okaeri_." Sayaka peered over from the living room. "Come in everyone, dinner's ready."

Yoshika looked dumbfounded at her mother, who in turned giggled and asked, "They didn't tell you yet, did they?"

"Tell me what?" Yoshika now turned her gaze to Minna.

"Well, Trude and Erica don't know anything, so it would be an even bigger surprise. The thing is that we indeed were sent here to procure Fuso specific supplies for our base in Sint-Truiden, but at the same time, we, that is Mio and I, decided to make a little surprise for you, so you wouldn't feel lonely, or be sad that we were here and didn't visit you," Minna explained calmly. "Like it?"

Yoshika quickly hugged Minna and said, "Yes, very much… Thank you, Miss Minna…"

Minna patted her on the back and said, "Sadly I couldn't organize more of the girls from the 501st, but I guess we're enough, right?"

"Oh of course!" Yoshika cheered and looked behind Sayaka. "Oh, hi Grandma."

"Welcome back, Yoshika. Your friends?" she pointed at the Karlslanders.

"Yes, from the time in Britannia! This is…"

"Minna Dietlinde-Wilcke, pleased to meet you, ma'am," Minna introduced herself politely.

"Gertrud Barkhorn, it's a pleasure to be here!" Trude saluted.

"And I'm Erica Hartmann, and I want to eat already!"

Trude gave her a light knock on the head and said, "Behave you…"

"Oh, my my… No need to fight, ladies," Sayaka giggled. "The food is hot and plentiful, come on."

"But Mom, Miss Sakamoto is still absent!" Yoshika protested.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Michiko appeared, saying, "_Ojamashimasu…"_

"Oh, Michiko!? Why are you here?!" Yoshika wondered aloud.

"She's with me," a familiar voice said and Mio appeared from behind Michiko. "It's a party now, heheh…"

"Michiko? When were you let on this?" Yoshika tilted her head.

"Just a few hours ago, heehee… You were so busy choosing sweets with Miss Hartmann that Miss Wilcke had no problem with adding me to the 'roster'," Michiko explained with disarming honesty.

"You sneaks…" Yoshika giggled. "All that just for me?"

"Yes, everything for you, Miyafuji," Mio said. "Now, pardon the bluntness, but I want to eat."

"Ah, finally someone understands!" Erica shouted making everyone, even Trude, laugh heartily.

Yoshika quickly ran back into the living room, and saw that the table was brimming with food

"Okay, now this is nice!" Yoshika smiled, and they all started eating.

* * *

Halfway through the meal, everyone who Yoshiko didn't know introduced themselves, and after everything, Sayaka said, "Yoshika, lead your guests to your room, okay?"

"Kay! Come on, everyone!"

"You're forgetting yourself, Miyafuji…" Mio huffed.

"Oh Mio, it's her house after all," Minna patted the gruff Fusojin on the shoulder. "Continue please, Miyafuji."

"Right!"

She led the whole lot to her room, and almost immediately, she noticed something out of place.

"A second futon?" she asked herself.

"The last part of our little secret," Minna explained. "We, that is us three, will be staying with you for the night, Yoshika. Sadly, your dear mother didn't have more beddings, so we'll have to cuddle up in pairs, heehee…"

"Oh, dibs on Miyafuji!" Erica cheered.

"Wah!" Yoshika shrieked.

"Woah, what was that for a reaction?" Erica asked.

"Heh, sorry… I somehow drifted to Francesca with my mind…" Yoshika laughed dryly. "I have nothing against it, Hartmann."

"S-So we sleep together?" Trude asked while looking baffled at Minna.

"Oh come on, Trude… We're not children, but we aren't exactly a certain pair from our unit, are we?"

"Well… Sorta…"

"So this is your Papa?" Erica asked suddenly, wielding a framed photo she picked up from the desk standing before the window.

"Didn't I show you a photo back in Britannia?" Mio asked.

"Uhhh… Dunno?"

"Well yes, that's my father," Yoshika interrupted with a smile. "As a matter of fact, my room is his old study. When I was younger, I just slept with Mom and Grandma in one room."

"Hey, Yoshika," Michiko chimed in. "How much time do we have until we go to the festival?"

"Uhhh… We should go out when it starts getting dark." Yoshika looked out of the window, seeing that the sun was setting in its orange glory. "Well then…"

The door to the room slid open, and Sayaka entered, carrying a stack of yukatas almost as high she stood.

"I have something for you, girls," she mused and continued, "I'll be right back."

"Oh Mom…" Yoshika said warmly. "I guess we should start getting clothed already."

Trude approached the stack and picked out the yukata from the top with a sour face.

"Ugh… It's cold outside and…" she stopped midsentence and looked around her, sensing some malicious intent. "Uh, guys?"

Everyone besides Micchan was looking at her with ravenous eyes, making her highly uncomfortable.

"Let's play dress up, Miss Barkhorn…" Yoshika said with a distant voice.

"Yes, Trudy, let's…" Erica followed in the same manner.

"Y-You won't!" Trude exclaimed in panic as she crept towards the door backwards.

"We will," Minna said.

"You won't!" Trude grabbed the door behind her and opened it.

As she turned around quickly, she saw Sayaka with another stack, this time containing traditional sandals, socks, some warm underwear, and _obi_ wrapping.

"Oh my, where are you rushing?" Sayaka asked.

"Nowhere!" the girls yelled as they seized Trude.

"Mom, you can go now," Yoshika said.

"Kids…" she giggled and went her way, sealing the door shut.

"No, don't leave meee…" Trude whimpered.

* * *

"And there you go - a _Karlslander_ _nadeshiko_!" Yoshika cheered as she put a hairpin donned with an orange blossom into Trude's hair.

"I want to cry…" Trude mumbled.

"Well, I do admit that Erica spinning you around using an obi was too much…" Minna looked at the blonde with a smirk. "Buuut you really look nice."

"Is there a mirror here, or am I committing social suicide in a blind way?"

Yoshika pulled out a mirror out of the drawer, and put it up so that Trude could see her face.

"Oh… Oh my…" Trude gasped. "Is that really me?"

She looked amazed at her subtle but noticeable makeup, and her quickly redone hairdo. Trude grabbed the mirror and tilted it, so she could see her violet yukata with white floral patterns, tied up in the waist with a violet obi.

"You can breathe," Minna giggled. "Girls, we should get dressed too, since we tortured Trude for too long."

"Yes ma'am!" everyone including Mio saluted.

"I'm pretty…" Trude touched her cheek gently, as if afraid her face could shatter.

* * *

"Done," Michiko said as she tied up Mio. "Not too tight?"

"No, it's okay," Mio responded softly. "Everyone ready?" she said and looked around the room, enjoying the colorful exposition.

"Ready!" the girls cheered.

"Let's go then! We're late already!"

The group bundled up neatly and went towards the door leading outside of the clinic.

"Yoshika, just return before midnight, okay?" Sayaka said.

"Mom, we'll probably return before ten, don't worry. I'm a big girl now!"

"Still, you're my only child," she giggled. "Take care of her, Mio."

Mio saluted with two fingers saying, "Roger that, Miss Miyafuji."

"And take these," Sayaka said and presented them with a slew of paper lamps hung on a stick, a box of matches, and spare candles.

"Oh Mom…" Yoshika said baffled. "You thought of everything…"

The girls lit their lanterns and went out into the brisk late afternoon.

* * *

The group was approaching the _matsuri_ grounds with moderate speed, pondering upon the endless rows of lanterns directing the people the right way, and the clamor of the crowd attending the festivities. Children were running around freely, all with their small lanterns and/or candy apples in their hands, and some with masks on their faces.

"I never felt such a magical atmosphere…" Trude sighed in wonder. "The dim lighting of the colorful lanterns, all the beautiful clothes, the smell of good food…"

"Right, food!" Erica cheered. "My _Fresseradar_ is pinging like mad!"

"Way to ruin the mood…" Trude muttered. "Ah, I have to buy something for Chris! Damn!"

As Trude started running around frantically, Minna said, "I wonder when she'll return to me for some money to borrow for an indefinite period of time…"

"One minute," Erica said. "Oh, and while we're at the topic of money…" Erica put her open hand forward towards Minna.

Minna reached into her left sleeve, and put some money into Erica's hand saying, "Don't overdo it. I'm serious."

"Okay!" Erica ran off to the nearest food stall.

"Jeeeeez…" Mio sighed. "The two may be from different parishes, but they sure are from one denomination…"

"Ho, nice analogy, Miss Sakamoto!" Yoshika said. "Even I understood."

"Shouldn't you and Yamakawa be running after those two?" Mio asked.

"Ah yes! Michiko, come on, I'm in a spending mood!" she pulled the sleeve of her cousin's yukata and both ran away from the older witches.

"Wanted to be alone with me, Mio?" Minna asked. "How crafty of you."

"The _kids_ are too loud. Let's enjoy this in a more adult manner."

"Do I need to remind you that you have a weak head?" Minna mused.

"You're exaggerating…" Mio waved her hand sideways.

* * *

"This?" Trude picked up a mask of a bunny. "Or this?" she looked at a _tengu_ mask. "Or maybe this?" she in turn looked at a pair of clogs. "Ah damn it! I don't know what to buy."

"_Oi, jō-chan_, what's the matter?" the stall master asked. "Can't make up your mind?"

"Ah yes… Err… My younger sister needs a present and… Errr…"

The old man disappeared under the counter for a second, and he _returned_ with a small box in his hand. He lifted the lid, and revealed a pair of violet ribbons with lacquer azaleas on each one. Trude's eyes sparkled and she asked, "How much?!"

"How much do you have on you?"

"I have nothing, but I can return with something! Just give me a few seconds!"

"Ten Reichsmarken," he said.

"Deal, please wait a second!" Trude shouted and ran back to Minna. "Minna! Ten RM please! Please!"

"Hoho, what a pricey souvenir you've picked up for Chris… At least show me, okay?"

"Okay, okay! Please, money!" Trude almost shouted nervously.

Minna dug out a bill with the Kaisers eagle on the back of it, and gave it to her.

Trude ran back to the stall and presented the bill like a trophy.

"_Sasuga…_" the man clapped his hands. "And here you go."

Trude took the box with the ribbons like a holy relic and she yet again ran back to Minna.

"You needed ten RM for a box?" Mio asked slyly.

"Oh…" Trude rolled her eyes and lifted the lid.

"Mmmmhmmm…" Mio nodded. "Beautiful, I must say. Maybe a bit overpriced, but it's a pretty thing. Chris will most likely be happy."

"You bet it!" Trude shook her fist into the air.

Minna dug into her sleeve for the third time and gave Trude some pocket change.

"Now, go and buy something for yourself, Trude."

"Oh… When will I repay all of this…" Trude mumbled with slightly red cheeks.

"One day for sure," Minna smiled. "Off you go."

Trude saluted and yet again ran off her way.

"Let's find some beer while there's a sliver of hope for serenity…" Mio sighed.

* * *

Erica was strolling around with a small bag full of assorted candy, with a small bag decorated with a crane and a turtle peeking out of it, and chomping off a big candy apple on a stick. When she was passing one of the stands, her gaze fixed itself on one item.

"Hey, boss!" Erica cheered. "One pack of them sparklers!"

"Oho, a cute _gaijin _girl! Where are you from?"

"Karlsland," Erica said proudly. "I'm a witch."

"Ah, then it's on the house," the man said and passed on the package to Erica.

"Thanks!"

Erica pulled out one of the sparklers immediately, and lit it from one of the lanterns. Or at least she tried to.

"Why is this not working…" she muttered.

And then, green sparkles started going off the top of the item with great intensity.

"Woah, it works!" she cheered and walked down the alley triumphantly, holding her new toy above her head.

* * *

"Drat…" Michiko muttered as another small carp escaped her clutches. "These paper films are too fragile…" she sulked and threw another spent ring on the ground near a shallow water basin.

"I'll catch you one, Michiko!" Yoshika said passionately. "One more!"

The stall owner gave her another small metal ring with a paper film inside and a handle to operate it. Yoshika concentrated herself as if it was a fight with a Neuroi, and she swiped across the surface of the water with a quick horizontal motion.

"Waaaaah! You did it!" Michiko cheered as she saw a miniature koi carp fluttering on the paper film.

"Well then," the stall owner said, took a small jar filled with water and scooped the carp inside of it. "You won it fair and square."

"Thank you!" Michiko said with relief.

"Another one to the pond, heheh…" Yoshika giggled. "We should start joining the rest soon, I think the fireworks will be starting in some time."

Michiko nodded, and both of them went on.

* * *

"I tell yuw… Hic… Srsly… Day Miyafuji is somethin diffrint…" Mio muttered in a drunk stupor.

_Only one beer and she's gone… Oh my, oh my… You poor soul… Guess you'll have to crash with us nevertheless, heh…_

"Yes, Mio, of course she is. You picked her yourself after all."

"Damn right! It wuz me, Mio Shakamoto!" she slowly stood up. "I'll shaw evrywun whoz the besht!"

She suddenly ran off with great speed, shouting, "Miyafuji is the best! Miyafuji is the best!"

"Oh my…" Minna sighed, finished her third beer, and put the money on the table.

"Thank you for your patronage!" the man operating the beer stall shouted behind her.

* * *

"Preeeeetttyyyyy…" Erica, Michiko, and Yoshika gasped in sync as Trude showed her purchase.

"Chris will shower you with kisses for sure," Erica nodded.

"Oh come on…" Trude blushed.

"Miyafuji is the best!" A sudden shout pierced the air.

"Huh? What was that?" Michiko asked.

Lo and behold, Mio ran out of the rabble and seeing Yoshika, she grabbed her, lifted her up and asked, "Miyafuji, do you know that you're the best?!"

"W-What?" Yoshika stuttered.

"The best witch in the world!"

"B-But Miss S-Sakamoto…"

Mio's body subdued to the alcohol she ingested, and she slowly collapsed to the ground. Trude caught her, and Erica supported Yoshika.

"Sheesh, she smells like a brewery…" Trude said with a sour face.

"What was that about?" Yoshika asked.

"Mio has a really weak head," Minna said as she came closer. "But that's a secret, so…"

"I understand," Yoshika smiled, and at the same time, she saw a colorful line climbing up the dark sky.

Five seconds later, a green explosion appeared with an accompanying bang. Mio opened her eyes, muttered, "_Hanabi…?_", and fell asleep.

"Let's watch the fireworks, and we're going home," Minna commanded.

"Roger," the girls nodded.

* * *

"My, my, somebody sure knows how to party…" Sayaka said and giggled as she saw Trude walking through the door with the sleeping Mio on her back.

"Uh, yeah…"

"I guess I'll have to break out the super-emergency futon…" Sayaka sighed. "Go to sleep, girls."

"Okay, Mom. Good night." Yoshika smiled.

"Good night, Yoshika," Sayaka said and disappeared into the living room.

The four of them went to Yoshika's room, and Trude could finally rest, after laying down Mio.

"Oooof… Dead weight…" she sighed. "Ah crap… We have to strip her now…"

"Strip?" Yoshika raised an eyebrow. "I can do that."

"Thanks, Miyafuji, I'm beat as it is…" Trude muttered.

Yoshika undid the yukata Mio was wearing swiftly, and when she felt that the occasion is right, she covertly grabbed one of Mio's breasts.

_Heehee... It's so soft and firm… Not like my mosquito bites…_

"Having fun?" Minna's whisper sent down a chill down her spine.

"M-M-M-M-Miss Minna… T-T-T-This i-i-i-isn't w-w-w-what…"

"Oh of course it isn't. You're just fixing Mio's bra, so she's comfortable, right?"

Yoshika could only laugh dryly in her own defense.

The door opened, and Sayaka came in with a futon, saying, "Here it is, girls. Have a good night."

"And a good night to you, Miss Miyafuji," Minna said.

"Ehhh…" she sighed. "Miss… What a grim reminder…"

After the door closed, Minna asked Yoshika, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Mom has her small fall backs… She still loves dad, even though he's been dead for five years," Yoshika explained calmly.

"Pot meet kettle…" Minna muttered to herself.

"Hmm?" Yoshika tilted her head.

"Nothing, Miyafuji, nothing… Let's get to sleep already, even I'm beat, and I did have my beers after all."

A few minutes later, the girls were tucked in their beddings.

"Hey, Miyafuji, think we should embrace or something?" Erica asked.

"Well, it is a bit tight… That _would_ save some space…"

Erica was proactive, as she immediately used the occasion to hug Miyafuji.

"Wow, it's so warm right now… Maybe a bit less…" Erica said and loosened her embrace just a little bit.

"Oh, now it's really okay," Yoshika said. "_Oyasumi_, Hartmann."

"_Guten Nacht_, Miyafuji."

"This is embarrassing… It's tight, our boobs are touching, not to mention our…" Trude shuddered only a meter away from Yoshika and Erica.

"Don't be such a prudy, Trudy," Minna giggled. "It's not like we're doing anything, right? We're just sleeping like two best friends."

"Two best friends…" Trude said softly. "Yeah, what the hell am I thinking about? Night, Minna."

"Good night, Trude."

* * *

Mio opened her eyes and only saw darkness.

_Where am I? It feels soft… A futon? I'm sleeping somewhere? Shit, I don't remember returning home… I only remember drinking with Minna and… Woah shit… Oh shit… Oh shit oh shit oh shit! It's Urajio all over again!_

She waited until her eye adapted to the darkness, and she quickly snuck out of the room.

_This is Miyafuji's house, no doubt about that. My mouth feels like sand paper, bleh… I guess I'll make myself welcome and see if I can drink some water from the kitchen tap…_

Mio trotted silently through the house, but then she heard some noises in the kitchen. She peered inside, and saw that Sayaka was at full swing at the frying pan.

_What hour is it, damn it!? I never got up so late!_

Mio put on a pleasant face and said, "Good morning."

Sayaka turned around and said, "Ah, good morning, Mio. Want some water?"

Mio grabbed her head and said, "A bit quieter, please…"

"Heh…" Sayaka smiled and gave Mio a glass of cold water. "Here you go."

"Thank you…" Mio mumbled and downed the glass in one go.

"So, what did you do to end in such a state?" Sayaka asked.

"I don't know…"

"Well, that only means you did a lot, heehee..."

"I seriously don't remember…" Mio sighed.

Suddenly Erica appeared, and the first thing she did was visibly inhaling air, and putting her hands on the sides of her mouth. But before anybody of the two could react, Trude covered her mouth saying, "Sakamoto would kill you."

"Fpoilfpowt…" Erica mumbled disappointed. "Gid moaning."

"Good morning." Sayaka smiled. "Breakfast will be ready in five."

"Ugh, breakfast with guests, how long has it been?" Yoshiko wandered into the kitchen stealthily.

"Micchan stayed over a month before Yoshika went to Brittania," Sayaka responded.

"The young Yamakawa doesn't count," Yoshiko answered disgruntled. "I mean real guests."

"Mmmm…" Sayaka made a sad face. "It was at the provisory funeral of Ichiro, when his cousin had to stay over…"

"There you go," Yoshiko nodded.

"Why is Mom so sad?" Yoshika asked, appearing with Minna.

"Oh, I'm just a bit sad that our guests have to leave…" Sayaka responded without missing a beat.

"Don't worry, Miss Miyafuji, we'll be calling from now on," Minna said with a warm smile.

"We will?" Trude and Erica asked in accord.

"We will," Minna repeated. "Yoshika is our comrade after all."

"Well, after yesterday, I sure started liking her a bit more…" Trude started muttering with slightly red cheeks.

"I never thought about it, heheh…" Erica laughed dryly. "Sorry, Miyafuji."

"You have your duties," Yoshika shrugged nonchalantly. "And now, I'm back to being a normal schoolgirl. We all have our responsibilities, which reminds me of something…"

"Schooool…" Sayaka mused.

"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwww…" Yoshika moaned. "And I bet I missed some homework… Ehhhh…"

"You had fun, why bother," Erica shrugged. "You can copy your homework from somebody else."

"_Lieber Gott_, Erica…" Trude sighed. "How is she supposed to grow up as a respected member of the society if you outright endorse cheating?!"

"I did it all the time with Ursula…" Erica puffed her cheeks.

"Case and point."

"Now now, everyone," Sayaka said, "At least refresh yourselves a bit before breakfast."

"Me too?" Yoshiko asked.

"No, you don't have to, Mom," the visibly cheerful Sayaka giggled.

* * *

"Well, that's that," Minna said. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Miyafuji, but we have to go already. It was a great pleasure visiting the home of such a famous man, really."

"And I'm glad I managed to meet some of Yoshika's friends in person, and that she herself could meet you. My motherly heart is at peace right now," Sayaka responded. "Now, Yoshika, you need to prepare for school. Don't worry about the room, I'll clean it up. Just walk with your friends to the place at where you're halfway between school and the naval base."

"That's what I wanted to do, Mom," Yoshika smiled and ran off to her room.

"Hey, Miyafuji, help me dress!" Erica ran after her.

"Over my dead body!" Trude yelled.

"Kids…" Minna, Mio, Sayaka, and Yoshiko sighed in sync.

* * *

After ten minutes of walking, Yoshika said, "We're at the point now…"

When she turned around, she saw that the Karlslanders had their right hands placed in on each other's in one spot.

"So, what will it be, Miyafuji?" Erica asked. "A friendly roar as a goodbye, or a few mushy words?"

Yoshika laughed and asked, "But what should we shout?"

"You know what a witch can't do?" Mio asked.

The gathered snickered, and when Yoshika placed her hand with the Karlslanders, all of them shouted, "Nothing!" and raised their hands together, laughing wildly.

"Goodbye, everyone, this visit really meant a lot to me," Yoshika said with tears slowly flowing down her cheeks. "I know I said that I don't want to have anything to do with the military, but… You're my friends, and…"

"Oh Miyafuji…" Minna patted her on the head. "Military or not, we're friends and witches and human beings. Now, go, or you'll be late."

Yoshika nodded, and ran off.

"I wonder if I should have told her that Perrine and Lynne are on a cruise ship to Yokosuka…" Mio pondered.

"A surprise loses its power once revealed," Minna said. "And Miyafuji looks like she needs a surprise like that dearly…"

* * *

Yoshika was looking out of the window again, just like yesterday, but she wasn't looking at the ground. Relentlessly, she looked at the sky, waiting for that one plane. And then, she saw the majestic Karlslander airboat soaring towards the east.

_Goodbye, my friends… Goodbye, but not farewell, because we're living on one planet, in one world, connected under one sky… The sky which will one day be free…_

* * *

**Inspiration can come out of anything. The catalyst for the birth of this fic was a fanart depicting Trudy in a half-undid yukata, with Yoshika 'helping' her dress.**


	7. New Year's Eve

**Strike Witches**

**New Year's Eve  
**

**Out with the old, in with the new.  
**

* * *

The dark night sky over Britannia was calm. The wind wasn't blowing, the clouds were nonexistent, the full moon was shining brightly, and the thousands of stars were twinkling in the cosmos.

There was only one thing that was moving around, a small witch with short pale grey hair, and glowing Magic Antennas around her head. She was carrying an enormous multi barrel rocket launcher, and was clad in a warm winter jacket, a _papacha _made from bear fur on her head, and her trademark tights. She was yawning horribly, but she managed to touch down on the runway, which was always clear of snow in winter, under the punishment of running laps and holding full water buckets. She stowed away her equipment and lazily wandered towards her bedroom, on the second floor of the Folkestone Castle.

She stood before the door to her own bedroom; however, she turned to the one next to it. The witch opened the door and stripped herself as she stood. After drifting towards the bed, she simply slumped down on it, asleep before she landed.

"Sanya…?" mumbled the occupant of the bed as she started touching away. "Yes… Sanya…" she confirmed in her own way. "But only today, okay…?"

She pulled up the two warm quilts she received once the winter started, making sure the new addition to her bed was cover, and slept on.

* * *

Six AM was the time when another inhabitant of the castle woke up. It was still very dark, but she was already accustomed to the room layout. She pulled the curtains to the side, and the moonlight flooded the room.

"_Perfekt,_" she said as the moon shined its light on her face.

She wandered to her nightstand, and took two hairbands, tying up her hair in two short ponytails. Then, she took off the tank top she used to sleep in, as well as the panties that matched them.

"Cold! But a True Soldier of Karlsland conquers all adversities!" she said to herself as she pulled on her wooly panties that she received for Christmas from her parents, and the rest of her uniform.

Adding a head warmer and wooly mittens, she rushed down to the hangar, to the storage beside it. She took two big stacks of firewood tied down with belts, which she prepared yesterday evening, and lugged them to the common room, where a fireplace could be found. She stoked the fire, and looked at the warm glow.

"I see, that you're up and providing us with some heat in at least one spot of this frigid castle?" said a redheaded witch as she entered the room.

"Of course, Minna. It's my duty!" she proudly answered. "Good morning, Minna."

"Good morning, Trude." Minna smiled. "The castle is spacious, but it's sure a pain to warm up…"

"Or rather impossible to warm up without a central heating installation…" Trude muttered.

"Throw in a few pieces of wood and let's warm up from the inside."

"Are you inviting me for coffee, Minna?"

"Of course I am, my dear Captain." Minna smiled. "Come on."

"Okay!" Trude said eagerly as she threw a whole armload of firewood into the fireplace.

The two went into the kitchen, where Trudy quickly stoked the fire in the stove, and put on a kettle of water.

"Leave the rest to me," said Minna who smiled and pulled out three cups out of the cupboard.

"Three?" Trude tilted her head. "Ah, right…"

"You forget me, Barkhorn?" A Fusojin with long dark hair entered, clad only in a light jacket over her uniform.

"Nah, I'm actually amazed that you're always training in the early morning, even in winter, Major Sakamoto."

"Hahaha!" Mio laughed in her usual way. "It's not a winter I'm not used to. In Fuso, the snow could be up to a meter high, and the temperature? Don't get me started!" She laughed again. "So, what are we planning for today, Minna?"

"Today we'll have a holiday, Mio. The date is perfect, and HQ didn't predict a Neuroi attack for the next week."

"Ah, right! Today's New Year's Eve!" Mio shouted. "I almost forgot about... Hmm… I have a surprise for you all." She smiled wryly. "I want to end the year 1943 with a bang!"

"Is it that crate from Fuso that was in the shipment recently, marked as…?"

"Shhhh, Minna!" Mio waved her hands. "This is a surprise! Please don't spoil it for anyone, okay?"

"Okay, Mio." Minna smiled.

"Uh, you could tell me…" Trude mused.

"I suppose I can," Mio said. "It's…"

* * *

"Achooo!" A witch sneezed in the darkness, which woke her up for good. "_Mon Dieu_… Why does it have to be so cold here?! It doesn't suit a lady to be cold…"

She crawled out of the ten-centimeter thick quilt she was lying under, and she dressed up lightning fast. Before she put on her head warmer, she combed her long blonde hair, which she was proud of. After that, she exited the room.

"Hey, Clostermann, is that you?" asked a cheerful voice in the moonlit corridor.

"Is that you, Captain Yeager? Good morning," She answered politely, and suddenly her chest started being groped. "Heavens!" she yelled angrily. "Pilot Officer Lucchini! You are groping a superior officer!"

"As if there's something to be groped…" The small witch muttered. "Morning, Perrine!"

"I'll morning you, you savage!" Perrine shook her fist violently.

"Oh come on, don't be like that," Shirley said. "Lucchini is Lucchini."

"I suppose…" Perrine muttered. "But you could keep her on a leash, Captain."

"Keeping a cat on a leash? Hah!" Shirley laughed. "Good one!"

"Hey, stop the ruckus," a silver haired witch said after sliding out of her room. "Sanya will wake up!"

"Are you her mom?" Francesca asked.

"N-N-No!" she denied with a face so red it was almost glowing.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Juutilainen," Perrine said.

"Ah, err… Morning, Clostermann," Eila replied. "Morning Captain."

"Morning." Shirley smiled. "Hey, I wonder if Hartmann woke up…"

"Are you high?" Eila asked.

"Heh, you're right. Okay, I'll go wake her up, and you all go to the dining hall for breakfast. You too, Lucchini."

"Kay!" Francesca cheered and ran off with the two.

Shirley found the door to Hartmann's room, and opened it quietly. The curtains were shut, so she had to tread carefully. Just when she was a meter from the bed, she slipped on something silky and fell on the sleeping Karlslander.

"Thirty more minutes, Trudy…" She mumbled.

"Uh, hi, Hartmann, heheh…."

"Oh? Shirley? Why are you here in my bed?" Erica asked surprised. "I hope you're not into _those_ things?"

"Oh stop… I wanted to wake you up, and then tripped on something soft…"

"Soft?" Erica asked and moved her hand under the quilt. "Heh, those are probably my panties."

"You're sleeping commando?!" Shirley shouted surprised.

"Yeah, why now? It's warm under all of this, want to check?"

"I'm not Eila…" Shirley mumbled.

"Ah, so you suspect it too, huh?" Erica's sly smile was visible despite the relative darkness. "That the two are into each other?"

"Kind of… But I think it's just puppy love, if you ask me…"

"Probably, but who knows. Sanya is starting to mature quickly."

Erica chuckled suddenly.

"What's so funny, Hartmann?" Shirley asked.

"The two of us having such a _serious_ talk at in this situation." Erica explained while smiling brightly.

"Heheh… Well, you're right." Shirley smiled too. "Come on, get dressed. No need to rile up your friend unnecessarily."

"Trudy? Nah, she can take it."

"Come on, just today. You know, there's a superstition in some countries about how you fare on New Years Eve, so the coming year will be for you."

Erica pondered a bit and said, "Oh right… Well, once in a while, some superstition is fun. Can you pass those panties to me?"

"Do I look like your mother to you!?"

"Hah, almost like Trudy!" Erica laughed. "Okay, I'll get dressed myself. Go now, the kitchen is warmer."

"I sometimes wonder whether you aren't some kind of hidden genius…"

"Me? A genius? Come on…"

"Yeah, figures." Shirley stood up from her bed. "Don't be late, this can earn some peace from Barkhorn towards me today."

"Sure, sure…"

"Or you know what? I'll wait for you. That will surely shock Barkhorn, mwahahahaha!"

"Heehee…" Erica giggled.

* * *

"Where the hell is Hartmann…?" Trude muttered to herself, seeing as slowly everyone started appearing.

Suddenly, the Blonde Knight of Karlsland simply waltzed in, chatting away with Shirley.

"Hi Trudy, hi everyone!" Erica cheered.

Amongst the replies, Trude's jaw fell down silently.

"What is it, Barkhorn? Are you in need of air?" Shirley asked slyly.

"Go to hell, Yeager!"

"Now, now, or our breakfast will burn."

"I have perfect control of my cooking skills," Trude pouted.

"Now, girls, please be civilized." Minna said with a smile. "Shirley, switch with Trude so she can go stoke the fire in the common room."

"Yes ma'am…" both said.

* * *

After a few minutes, Trude returned, and Shirley already started serving breakfast. The Karlslander sat beside Erica and asked, "What happened?"

"That I woke up so early? Shirley woke me up." Erica shrugged.

"Why would she do that?" Trude asked surprised.

"Maybe she was in a good mood? I dunno," Erica lied with a straight face.

"Flap your gums with something between them." Shirley appeared behind them and gave them their breakfast. "Here.

"Thanks." Erica smiled.

"Yeah…" Trude mumbled.

"Okay everyone, I have a pleasant announcement to make," Minna said. "But first, can somebody tell me todays date?"

"It's the 31st December, 1943," Perrine recited. "But why do you want to know it, ma'am?"'

"It's very simple, Perrine. Today is New Year's Eve, and in accordance with military regulations, I hereby declare a home-stay holiday."

"Yay!" Francesca cheered. "I can sleep all day!"

"As if you aren't doing it already." Shirley gave Francesca her breakfast and ruffled up the Romagnan's hair.

"Of course if there is heavy snowfall, you know what we're doing, right?" Mio smiled mysteriously.

"Cleaning the runway…" all the girls beside Minna and Trude moaned monotonously.

"Ha, exactly! So enjoy your day off, but be sure to have enough energy to stay awake till midnight."

"M-Major, will we be celebrating New Year?" Perrine asked.

"Of course! But the details are secret, so don't rack your brains over it, okay?"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Perrine saluted briskly.

"Now, at ease, and let's eat," Mio commanded.

* * *

After the meal, Shirley said, "I'll be tinkering with my Striker in the hangar if you need me."

"Hasn't that boot from Uncle Sam on your ass taught you anything?" Trude asked sarcastically.

"Our dear commander lets me perform mods," Shirley pouted.

"Indeed. Have a nice time, Shirley, But you should take a brazier out of the storage and fire it up," Minna said.

"Oh, thanks for the tip! I'm off!" Shirley cheered and ran away.

"Well then, time to sleep." Erica stood up.

"Hartmann, for crying out loud! You just slept!" Trude half-pled and half-berated her comrade.

"Tell me what I can do when its minus fifteen Celsius outside, and roughly zero inside, beside the common room and the dining hall? Oh, and we have a holiday."

"Errrrmmm…" Trude pondered intensively. "Ugh, I guess I can allow this… Go…" She sighed.

"Thanks, Trudy!" Erica gave her friend a peck on the cheeks and scooted off.

"Damn pea brain…" Trude said while visibly blushing.

"I'll go sleep too!" Francesca cheered. "The big armchair in the common room is calling me!"

"I'll go… Ughhh… Keep Sanya warm! Yes!" Eila said and ran off faster than the previous two.

Those remaining only shook their heads in amusement.

"I will read a book in the common room I think. Please excuse me," Perrine said and wandered off.

"I have to do the dishes, and afterwards, it's archive work as usual," Trude said.

"Trude, it's a holiday. Relax," Minna said calmly.

"Work is my pleasure, you know me, Minna," Trude replied in the same manner.

"Okay, I won't stop you." She sighed and let Trude go. "So, Mio, why don't we warm ourselves up with something from my private reserve?" She winked towards the Fusojin.

"Please, Minna, I have to do some preparations for the night."

"Right now? Mio, please, we have time."

"You know how weak a head for alcohol I have…" Mio mumbled.

"Ah, pardon me. How about we read some books before the fireplace, just like Perrine?" Minna proposed.

"Books you say… Well, that book that I'm reading at the fireplace sure is interesting…" Mio pondered. "Okay, but only until dinner at most."

"Let's go then." Minna smiled and they both stood up.

* * *

Sanya started waking up slowly around 1PM as usual. When she opened her eyes, she saw Eila doing a tarot reading on the carpet.

"Good morning, Eila," Sanya said with her usual good heartedness.

Eila tumbled away on a twitch reflex, but she quickly regained her composure and said, "Oh, morning, Sanya, heheh…"

"Ah, I must have wandered into your room again, sorry…"

"N-N-No, Sanya, it's okay! Just don't crawl out from under the covers or you'll get sick!" Eila panicked and fluttered her hands around. "I'll get you your clothes!"

She ran to the door, where her clothes were lying scattered, gathered them and quickly stuffed them under the thick layer of blankets under which Sanya was lying.

"Your clothes are cold, let them warm up a bit!"

Sanya suddenly placed her hand on Eila's cheek and said, "Thanks."

Eila simply slumped over Sanya in glee, mumbling "Awkay Shanya… Eheheheh…"

Sanya giggled, and laid back for a few minutes.

* * *

After that, she dressed up, with Eila still being on cloud nine, and stood up from bed, which finally triggered a reaction from the Suomi.

"Oh, Sanya, I'll make you breakfast!"

"I'll tough it out till dinner, don't worry." Sanya smiled. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Any time!" Eila rushed to her clothes, and after a few minutes, the two were slowly walking across the runway, which was free of snow.

* * *

Trude was sitting in the archive, relentlessly sorting the papers, and writing what has to be written. She suddenly heard a knock on the door and answered, "Come in."

Minna came in with a metal cup in a cup warmer in her hands.

"How are things, Trude?"

"I'm on the last straight, Minna. What's going on?"

Minna presented her with the cup and said, "This is for you."

Trude looked into the cup and saw a deep red liquid, still steaming from heat.

"Gluhwein? I don't know… I'm on duty…" Trude frowned.

"Duty shmuty, Trude! We have a holiday today, and it's cold, so here's something to warm you up from the inside."

"Well… Okay then, if it's from you then I'll accept." Trude smiled and took the cup. "Thanks."

"Be sure to come back to us once you finish, it's like in a freezer in here…" Minna shuddered.

"I will."

* * *

Francesca lied on her favorite blanket near the brazier, which Shirley pulled out of the storage. The red-hot coals were giving off a pleasant heat, which the resourceful Romagnan used. Shirley laid down her tools and put her hands only a few centimeters above said coals.

"Man, what arctic weather... My fingertips want to fall off…" she mumbled and looked at Francesca. "Well, at least she doesn't have such problems as me." The redhead smiled and threw in another coal. "I'll stay a bit with you."

"Thanksh…" Francesca mumbled subconsciously and curled herself up even more.

* * *

Perrine couldn't focus on her book because, beside the napping Erica, she was alone with Mio in the common room.

_Mon Dieu! I'm alone with my Major! Oh what a godsend! B-But I can't just start talking to her just like that! No, it would be uncouth! I am a lady after all, and she's my great superior!_

Perrine was immersed in thought so much that the book she was holding fell out of her hands on the floor with a splat.

"Perrine, focus on your reading, or I'll give you laps…" Mio said quietly, not moving a muscle.

"Y-Yes ma'am! Immediatelly!"

_What a faux pas! I want to cry!_

The door on the top of the staircase opened and Minna descended to them.

"Hmm… Everything okay it seems," she said after glancing around.

Once she stoked the fire, she resumed her reading.

* * *

During dinner, Minna proposed something.

"Girls, we should all take a bath once we finish eating," she said with a smile. "We should enter the new year clean, right?"

"Yay, bath!" Francesca cheered.

"And why so happy?" Trude asked. "You probably didn't move a finger today, as opposed to some people."

"Chill, Trudy," Erica mumbled. "Lucchini is our mascot, remember?"

"Well yeah, somewhat… But hey, you're not our mascot, and you spent the whole damn day on the couch!" Trude yelled.

"Calm down, Trude," Minna said, calm as usual. "I forbid you to work another second today, and order you to have fun."

"Understood…" Trude sighed.

"Then let's finish eating, and we're meeting in five minutes afterwards in the bath," Minna said.

* * *

Later, already in the bath, Francesca decided to engage into _battle mode_. Barely visible, she floated almost completely submersed, and tried to pick a target. Once her lewd gaze was set on Mio, the stern Fusojin stared back at her irritated.

"Jiiiiiii…"

"Sorry!" Francesca squeaked dryly and turned to the side.

She targeted Trude next, which in her book was a high difficulty target, but the Karlslander seemed aware of her as she said, "I already gave you a grab for your birthday a week ago, next one in 358 days at least."

"Baaaaawwww…" Francesca sulked, but then, two soft and plump shapes landed on her shoulders.

"Hey, squirt, having trouble with finding a rack to fondle?" Shirley asked with a big grin.

"Uhuh!" Francesca nodded fiercely.

"You know where to go when that happens." Shirley smirked and presented her chest in full glory. "Have at it!"

"Weeeeeee!" Francesca cheered and tucked herself into the ample bosom of the Liberian.

"You're spoiling her, Liberion," Trude said. "She'll never change if you won't stop being a hug toy at her every whim."

"And yet, you let her fondle your boobs." Shirley grinned wryly.

"That was her birthday wish!" Trude protested. "If not fbrrrbrrbbbbllllll…"

"Erica, don't try to drown Trude mid-sentence, it's impolite," Minna said, but she giggled afterwards.

"I can't stand her yelling all the time, sheesh…" Erica sighed.

"I know, let her go though," Minna commanded.

"Kay…" Erica sighed again and let her friend go, making her shoot out of the water gasping for air.

"Hartmann! Your ass is mine!" Trude yelled while approaching her blonde compatriot.

"Trude, please…" Minna sighed. "Sit down beside me, lean back, relax. Think about something nice."

"But Hartmann…"

"Yes, I know. She'll be punished accordingly in the coming year, but for now, you relax."

"Kay…" she mumbled and sat at Minna's side.

The first nice thing that came to her mind, was of course her younger sister, but after the bliss, came the grim realization that she's still in a coma, and she of course still blamed herself, which was visible to the outside thanks to the sad face Trude made.

"Cheer up," Minna whispered. "Everything will be okay."

"Thanks…" Trude mumbled, cracking a faint smile.

Erica swam up to Trude and grabbed her hand silently.

"Not you too…" Trude mumbled quietly. "You guys are too good for me…"

"What's that all about?" Francesca asked her boob-urge reliever.

"Right, she never told you since you came here just a few months ago. But I'll tell you later, kay?"

"Bah!"

"Now, grope some more if you want."

"Of course!" Francesca cheered and groped away.

* * *

In the dressing room, when the bath session ended, Minna said, "Now, everyone quickly go to the common room, or you'll get a cold after the hot bath."

"You've said that every day since the cold days started," Trude said.

"Lucchini, stop," Minna said with an adamant voice.

"Hmmm?" The Romagnan turned her head around.

"Dry yourself thoroughly, that won't do."

"Awww, but I wanted to go to the fireplace already…" Francesca sulked. "But okay, I'll do it…"

"You would think that they would remember…" Trude sighed.

"Major, a-am I doing it right?" Perrine asked shyly.

Mio grabbed the Gallian's long blonde hair with her hand, making the poor girl blush vividly, and said, "Yes, you're on the good way. Dry it down a bit more and you're good to go."

"T-T-Thank you, ma'am!"

"Suck-up…" Eila muttered.

"W-What did you say?!" Perrine angrily asked.

"I said you're a brownnoser," Eila reiterated.

"Oh you… you… you philistine!" Perrine charged at her opponent with hands raised, but the Suomi just stepped aside at the last second, and the Gallian slammed into the wall with her face.

"Oooooowww…" Perrine squeaked in pain.

"What is it with you girls today…" Minna shook her head. "Are you fine, Lieutenant Clostermann?"

"Um, yes…" she answered after peeling herself off the wall. "Good that I didn't have my glasses on."

"Here, let me see…" Mio approached her, making Perrine stiffen up. "Hmmm… No visible cuts… Wash your face, and you'll be okay."

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes ma'am!" Perrine managed to say and ran off to the nearest faucet.

"Heheheh…" Eila laughed under her nose.

"You'll be punished too," Minna said with a smile.

"Wh…" Eila tried to protest, but seeing the unrelenting authority coming from the falsely calm Minna shut her up. "Yes…"

"Good."

* * *

The next few hours, the girls spent on warming themselves before the fireplace, either in relative silence, or listening to some stories or anecdotes that everyone brought up. Supper was postponed until a later hour, and Sanya's night flight was canceled. Trude and Shirley both were ordered to follow Minna into the kitchen, and the rest were also given an order, but to stay put. Once the time came, Minna hailed the rest in.

The gathered let out a collective sigh of wonder, seeing all the delicacies prepared for them.

"Sweets… Sweets… Sweets…" Erica started repeating in a monotone voice, seeing a salad bowl full of candy.

"Oranges…" Sanya and Eila gasped in accord.

"I made sure that some delicacies remained hidden from the grabs of some people." Minna winked. "Dig in, girls, we're partying till five minutes before midnight!"

After a mass cheer, the girls started their party. For all the time, nobody was even a bit bored, since even the usually reserved girls got in the mood.

* * *

"Okay, time to go!" Mio cheered. "Trude, get the backpack!"

"Roger!" She saluted and took a backpack from the kitchen, which made a characteristic glassy noise when she moved it around.

"Folllow me!" Mio commanded. "We're going to have fun!"

* * *

Mio led them out to the hangar. She quickly took a trolley with something big covered with canvas on it. The Fusojin pulled the canvas, and revealed an enormous box with kanji scribbled all over it.

"Sorry, but I don't read moon runes," Shirley said.

"Fireworks, Yeager, that's what this central sign says." Mio pointed out the sign reading out 花火大会. "The rest is a cubic buttload of warnings."

"Fireworks?!" Francesca shouted. "Waaaaaant!"

"Ask and you shall receive, hahahaha!" Mio laughed and drew her sword.

With a swift move, she cut the nails binding the lid to the crate, and sheathed it. After a gentle push, the lid dropped down, earning Mio an applause. She dove into the crate, and picked out a small package.

"First, let's fire up some sparklers," Mio said.

"Sparklers are for kids," Erica said.

"Says the responsible adult," Trude said venomously.

Mio gave out one sparkler each, and said, "Somebody light it up, and be the procession lighting up the pathway to the runway."

"Let me be of service." Shirley mock-bowed and pulled out a Zippo lighter from her jacket. "Here ya go, Lucchini."

After a few seconds in the fire, the tip of her sparkler started first glowing, and then shooting green sparks.

"Weeeeeee!" Francesca cheered and started prancing around.

"Me! Me! Me!" Erica jumped up and down, much to Trude's amusement.

All the girls soon had their sparklers firing sparkles, and they led Mio pushing the trolley. Francesca's firework burned out the fastest, so after firing a disgruntled look towards it, she threw it behind her.

After a few meters, Mio said, "Company halt! Now it's time to put the big guns to work!"

When she looked into the crate, she asked herself aloud, "Why is this glowing… Oh crap, run!"

The first bottle rocket flew out with a whiz from the crate without warning, and soon all the various pyrotechnical products started setting off. The girls ran away in panic into the hangar, watching the plethora of colorful detonations happening spontaneously. Perrine almost fainted as one rocket flew just above her head, but Mio berated her saying, "Perrine, where was your shield?!"

"S-Sorrry…" she mumbled in shame.

After a minute, it all surprisingly calmed down.

"Ugh, what a bother…" Mio sighed. "I wonder what… Everyone take cover behind shields, now!" Mio shouted, and a whole row of shield appeared in the air before the witches.

Just then, an enormous blue explosion ripped apart the crate and the trolley with it.

"What just happened, Mio?" Minna asked. "That was very dangerous."

"That was a Dai Majo Odama, a mortar launched firework infused with some magic. It wasn't loaded into the tube that was in the crate, so it didn't launch in the air." Mio explained. "But how did it all start?"

"Someone must have thrown their spent sparkler into the crate. When they stop _working_ they still have enough heat to set off black powder," Minna said and her body glowed briefly. "I counted all of the sparklers used up except for one. Now, whoever was so airheaded to…"

"Minna, I hate to interrupt you…" Mio said looking at her watch. "But we'll have a new year in five seconds… four… three…"

"Okay, prepare yourselfves…" Minna sighed.

"One…" Mio held her breath, and the girls collectively shouted, "Happy New Year!"

"Trude, backpack!" Mio cheered.

Trude opened the backpack and pulled out a big bottle of champagne, as well as glasses. Minna took it from her, popped the cork, and poured it into the five glasses of the eldest girls.

"Awww, I wish we could have something like that…" Eila said.

"You do." Trude smiled and pulled out an enormous bottle of soda, as well as a few normal glasses. "Have at it."

"Oh, I'll do it!" Eila cheered, and poured the soda to everyone.

"Kampai!" Mio shouted happily.

"Cheers!" Minna translated with a smile, and the glasses started clinking.

"So, have any new year resolutions, Mio?" Minna asked.

"Be a better warrior and… hmm… I have my eye on somebody that could join us, heheh…"

"Ah, that's nice. And I promise everyone to be a better commander." Minna smiled. "And I have someone in mind too, heehee…"

"Regain our Vaterland!" Trude raised her glass.

"Break the sound barrier!" Shirley shouted.

"Stay the same!" Erica cheered.

"B-Be with Sanya more…" Eila mumbled.

"Find my parents," Sanya said.

"Regain my Gallia!" Perrine said resolutely.

"Sleep more, heheh…" Francesca laughed dryly.

"So, what now?" Mio asked. "I don't know what to do."

"It's Britannia, so there's only one thing we can do now," Shirley said.

"What's that?" Francesca asked.

"Sing, you rugrat," Shirley inhaled deeply, and with a melodic voice she started singing, "Should all acquaintance be forgot…"

"… and never brought to mind?" Minna joined in with her beautifully trained voice.

"Should all acquaintance be forgot…" Trude caught up in the spirit added herself.

"…an old lang syne?" Perrine finished the stanza a bit shyly.

"For auld lang syne, my dear!" Everyone who knew the words thundered, and they all sung the song to the end, welcoming the year nineteen fourty-four.

* * *

**Another year has passed... Another year during which more and more words have found their way to Word, and finally landed here, on FanFiction.**

**I wish you all a Happy New Year, and may it be better than the last one!**


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